Provenance note

The documents in this series were previously located at ML A81 and ML A82. They are part of an accession of Banks papers purchased by the Public Library of New South Wales from Sotheby's, London, in May 1929.

It is now not possible to reconstruct Banks' original arrangement, the series has therefore been arranged chronologically.

Background note

In June 1794, Peter Good, under-gardener at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, was selected as assistant to Christopher Smith. Smith had earlier been appointed gardener at the Honourable East India Company's botanical garden in Calcutta.

In September 1794, Christopher Smith and Peter Good left England on board the Royal Admiral with a consignment of plants destined for the Calcutta gardens. They arrived in February 1795 and immediately began preparing a collection of mainly spice plants, especially clove and nutmeg, for the return voyage of the Royal Admiral. The plants, attended by Peter Good during the voyage, were destined for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Subjects

Collectors and collecting - Botanical
Gardeners
Botanical gardens - India - Calcutta
Botanical gardens - England
Collectors and collecting - Botanical
Gardeners
Plants - Collection and preservation
Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, India